Junction59 Wins Best Consumer Goods Website at Internet Advertising Competition

Toronto based Junction59 & Agency59 win Best Consumer Goods Website at the IAC Awards (Internet Advertising Competition) for the GayLea Black River Cheese Site. 

The website was the final step in a rebranding process that began with the packaging itself. Black River Cheese has roots dating back to 1901 in Prince Edward County, and Junction59 put a renewed focus on its artisanal heritage and its local origins as it aimed for a more upscale audience. Junction59 targeted food lovers who are educated in the craft of food and drink, but are hungry to learn more. They are willing to pay for quality and a conversation-worthy experience.

The new brand cues hinted at evenings, and socialising with friends. Junction59 invested in high-end photography celebrating lifestyle, courtesy of Paula Wilson, and charcuterie boards courtesy of Geoff George. The dark background reflected the new brand, but also brought a sense of sophistication. This new look and feel drove the website design. But another important element was wine pairings. Black River Cheese has its origins in Ontario Wine Country, and our consumer’s desire to learn which cheese goes with which wine and/or beer led to the development of a wine pairing tool that became an important feature of the website. 

The site’s design not only had to be beautiful - to match the new brand look and feel - but it had to be intuitive. To do that, Junction59 made sure the user experience paired perfectly with the interface. There were no compromises. Junction59 wanted the user to have a sophisticated foodie-like experience when they navigated the site. Almost if they were at a dinner party, complete with mood lighting (hence the dark colour palette). 

To keep things clean throughout the site, Junction59 made the content ‘snackable’. Which is to say, succinct, informative and easy to read. Visuals and copy engage and evoke a response, making it inviting to spend time on the site. With the addition of the beautifully designed - and quite frankly, enlightening - wine and cheese pairing tool, the team created something worth coming back to; the goal of any brand.